This March, Copro Gallery presents a 3-artist exhibition: Natural Habitat featuring Shawn Barber, Carl Dobsky and Coro! All three artists exhibiting are close friends, living on the west coast in the USA. They have devised this theme as a guiding concept which all three unique artists can explore within their own styles, combining the body of work of the three into one. Natural Habitat refers to the place in nature that a particular species calls home, and it is intriguing to see how each artist approaches the concept.
Read below to find out more about each of the three gifted artists.
Natural Habitat – 3 artist exhibition
COPRO GALLERY
2525 Michigan Ave, T5, Santa Monica, CA 90404, United States | Phone: 310 829 2156
Exhibition Dates: March 5 – March 26, 2022
Opening Reception: Saturday March 5, 2022 – 5:00 – 9:00 p.m.
For more information, email Gallery Director, Gary Pressman at coprogallery@live.com or call 310-829-2156.
SHAWN BARBER
Shawn earned his B.F.A from Ringling College of Art in 1999 and A.A.S. from Cazenovia College in 1997. His paintings are held in private collections throughout the United States, Canada, Asia, Europe and Australia. Among extensive achievements, he has also taught drawing, painting and the business of art for 20 years at various art schools. After years of documenting the art of tattoo, it was a logical progression to pick up the tattoo machine and add tattooist to his resume. In 2009, Shawn and his girlfriend Kim Saigh, opened Memoir Tattoo in Los Angeles, CA.
I’ve been documenting tattoo culture and contemporary tattoo history with a series of paintings, The Tattooed Portraits Series. I started painting tattooed artists in 2005, obsessively documenting the men and women that have pioneered the genre of contemporary tattoo art and the history of modern tattooing. My dedication and enthusiasm for the art form, gradually opened doors for me to learn the craft from some of the greatest tattoo artists in the world.
My life is consumed with tattooing, the art of tattoo and documentation of tattooing through painting works on this subject. Presently, over four hundred and forty works have been made in this series.
CARL DOBSKY
Carl Dobsky is a figurative painter currently living and working in the Los Angeles area. His work is grounded in traditional forms of representation while still incorporating contemporary elements. Dobsky earned a B.F.A from Ringling College of Art and Design and an M.F.A from the New York Academy of Art. Beyond education at these institutions, he also studied classical approaches to drawing and painting at the Water Street Atelier in Brooklyn, NY. He has exhibited throughout the U.S. and in Europe. His work can be found in both private and public collections including the New Britain Museum of Art and the Seven Bridges Foundation.
Carl’s contribution to ‘Natural Habitat’ is a collection of narrative works that engage in various humanist themes cast in contemporary settings. Successfully, Carl merges a dark or uneasy undertone with stark scenarios, shining a light on the underbelly of human nature. The effect would be almost comical if it weren’t so close to the bone. Most of the exhibit explores his large-scale masterpieces painted over the last several years, some just recently finished. Additionally, Carl unveils studies and sketches that were used in the development of the final paintings. To top it off, there are also a selection of small scale works that are equal to the narrative complexity and detail of the larger canvases.
While themes such as Drunken Lovers or War of the Worlds (The Scholar’s Dream) make direct allusions to past artists, such as Jan Steen and Albrecht Dürer, they are more than simple reboots and contain original twists and plot devices that are clearly meant for a contemporary audience. But, far from simply riding on the coattails of time-tested themes, most of the narratives in this body of work […] are original both in their conception and thematic elements. They are clearly meant as commentaries on life in our times.
CORO
Justin Coro Kaufman is a west coast-based illustrator, Art Director, and fine artist. He is the Owner and Art Director of Massive Black, an art collective specializing in concept art and pre-visualization for games, film, and emerging technologies. Recent clients include Google, Amazon, DARPA, and Intel.
Coro’s works for Natural Habitat are scenes from the 6-acre spread within the rural Washington state that he calls home. Interestingly, prior to relocating his family from San Francisco seven years ago, Coro had never painted nature themes. However he quickly found himself fascinated with the colours, textures and light in the lush forests around his new home. These paintings are a retrospective of his foray into this subject matter.
I like to paint areas around our property because there’s a personal connection to these places. As a trained portrait artist, I try to approach these pieces similarly to how I would a human sitter, aiming to capture both the likeness and spirit of my subject.
About the Gallery //
The gallery, located at Bergamot Arts, is divided into two exhibition spaces, sometimes featuring a single artist but often two or three. Large group exhibitions are also featured often in conjunction with outside curators. In following with its original mission, Copro participates in International Art Fairs and curates outside exhibits to help promote their artists.
Focusing on museum quality installations showcasing emerging artists, Copro Gallery also exhibits many established and master painters. Placing works in private collections throughout the world, Copro strives to assist collectors new and experienced in building the most exciting collections possible.
